Nonviolent Caucus

The Nonviolent Caucus is a network of individuals and affinity groups (including study groups, work groups, committees, and organizations) who self identify as being part of the Occupy/Decolonize movement, and who seek to engage with others in nonviolent education, training, support, and direct actions. Whether choosing nonviolence due to a philosophical or spiritual commitment to nonviolent principles, or due to the recognition of the practical and strategic necessity of nonviolence for building a movement with a broad base of support, we welcome all who wish to participate.

The agreed upon purpose of Occupy Oakland Nonviolent Caucus (OONV) is as follows: Consensus decision 2/2/12—1st general meeting It is NOT the purpose of the group to pass NV resolution for all of #OO, but determine what tactics we will engage in to be strategic about a specific goal, and plan actions from there. Also agree not to turn in others to police or try to be “peace police” or to try to enforce NV in others. This covenant was the basis for founding of OONV. Without this agreement, many … Continued

This video directed by Bassel Shahade starts with a dedication to Shahade, who recently was killed in Homs, Syria while he worked on a documentary and trained media activists: “A tribute and gratitude to Bassel Shahade Who has since been killed doing what he loved, promoting nonviolence and training activists how on media activism. “The free spirit that found its “Home” through freeing itself from the mortal “body” that constrained its presence to one place, whilst it was all the time searching for a way to belong to all places … Continued

Please join us for a 2-day Training in Kingian Nonviolence on April 21st & 22nd, 10 AM – 6 PM, in Berkeley. The fee is self-determined. To register, please email us at: zannevents@gmail.com. The History of Kingian Nonviolence On April 3, 1968, Dr. King was in Memphis, Tennessee, where he gave the renowned “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech to a packed audience. After returning to his room at the Lorraine Motel, he was talking with several of his closest advisers when he had a revelation. He said that the next step … Continued

The next Nonviolent Caucus meeting will be brief and take place at Berkeley Fellowship Hall, Thursday, March 29th, at 5:30 pm. This will precede the Strategic Dimensions of Resistance conference with Erica Chenoweth, Ph.D. that is being sponsored by the Nonviolent Caucus, and being held on Thursday, March 29th 7:30 PM 5:30 pm Nonviolent Caucus Meeting 7:30 pm Erica Chenoweth Berkeley Fellowship Hall 1924 Cedar Street (at Bonita) Berkeley, CA 25444

Thursday, March 29th, 7:30 PM Berkeley Fellowship Hall • 1924 Cedar Street (at Bonita Avenue), Berkeley What are the strategic costs and consequences of civil resistance methods? What have other campaigns found effective in past struggles? Are nonviolent resistance methods or violent resistance methods more effective in achieving strategic goals? Under what conditions do certain tactics work and why? How have the tactical evolutions of nonviolent and violent insurgencies affected their strategic outcomes? How do non-state actors best combat police violence? Dr. Erica Chenoweth will discuss her recent research on … Continued

For anyone who believed or questioned the media spin, promoted by the City of Oakland and the Chamber of Commerce, that Occupy Oakland increased crime during the encampment, here are the facts. Please read and share with others who are buying or need facts to help refute the narrative that the encampment was removed due to increased crime or violence. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/24/1067727/-Crime-Rates-During-the-Occupy-Oakland-Encampment 22021

In order to allow participation in the kickoff for Occupy Education and also the Grand Lake Theater benefit, all happening on March 1st, the Nonviolent Caucus has cancelled the March 1st meeting. The next meeting of the Nonviolent Caucus is scheduled for March 8 from 4-7 pm at the Rising Loafer. A focused discussion will take place from 4:30-5:30, follow by a 10 minute break. The regular business meeting will take place from 5:40-7:00. 21777

A recent article by George Lakey discusses how the narrative about violence is used to discredit insurrection movements and includes many examples. What should we do about this attempt by the government and the media to maintain the status quo? This is essential reading for anyone who is offended and exhausted by the debate about “violence” within Occupy, and who had a reaction to the recent Chris Hedges article about the Black Bloc and Occupy. http://wagingnonviolence.org/2012/02/whos-really-violent-tips-for-controlling-the-narrative 21545

At the request of Occupy4Prisoners Day of Solidarity for Prisoners at San Quentin, the Nonviolent Caucus held a training for participants to support the organizers intentions of creating a day safe for all. Occupy4Prisoners called for participants in the San Quentin rally to express their solidarity with those who were currently or previously incarcerated. The action request was that the event be peaceful and safe, understanding the risk that arrest posed to these individuals. The Occupy4Prisoners planning group requested involvement of the Nonviolent Caucus and the Connection Action Project, to … Continued

Occupy4Prisoners has put a call-out to the Occupy Oakland Nonviolent Caucus to organize a NV training for participants and volunteers for the Feb. 20 action at San Quentin. The organizers of the Day of Solidarity at San Quentin wish to keep this event safe for all, in solidarity with currently or formerly incarcerated people. To learn more about the reasons for this request from the organizers of Occupy4Prisoners, see the following statement. The Training is scheduled the morning of the event, on Feb 20th at the Frank Ogawa/Oscar Grant Plaza at … Continued

Upcoming Events

JOINT WALK‐IN CLINICS with Public Defender and EBCLC *Please bring your statewide CA DOJ RAP sheet if you have it or we can give information at clinic* We may be able to help with:  Dismissal of Conviction – PC 1203.4  Felony Reduction / Prop 47 and 64 Relief  Early Termination of Probation  Certificate of Rehabilitation  Sealing Arrest Record – Factual Innocence  Juvenile Record Sealing  Post-Conviction Relief for Immigrants and Survivors of Human Trafficking  Employment denials due to criminal background reports  Occupational … Continued

Have you ever wanted to build a socialist utopia out of gingerbread houses? Want to learn more about what East Bay DSA is doing around housing? Wondering what exactly is “social housing?” Join the East Bay DSA Housing Committee for a fun evening of making gingerbread houses and socializing with comrades. This is open to the general public. Bring your friends! Hot chocolate included. 65415

Mycologist Alan Rockefeller will give a lecture on the identification of psilocybin mushrooms. It will include an overview of all North American species, focusing on the species which occur in the San Francisco Bay area. The audience will learn important characteristics for accurate identification and how to spot poisonous lookalikes. Participants are invited to bring legal mushrooms for a hands-on discussion of how to identify mushrooms you encounter. Alan Rockefeller is a mycologist living in Oakland. He spends half the year hunting mushrooms in Mexico where he documents a wide … Continued

The Occupy Oakland General Assembly meets every Sunday at 3 PM at Oscar Grant Plaza amphitheater at 14th Street & Broadway near the steps of City Hall. If for some reason the amphitheater is being used otherwise and/or OGP itself is inaccessible, we will meet at Kaiser Park, right next to the statues, on 19th St. between San Pablo and Telegraph. If it is raining (as in RAINING, not just misting) at 3:00 PM we meet in the basement of the Omni Collective, 4799 Shattuck Ave., Oakland. (Note: we meet at 3:00 PM … Continued

Waffles & Zapatismo is a free space for learning about and discussing the history, ideas, values and practices of the Zapatista National Liberation Army, EZLN or Zapatistas. We serve waffles at the start of the class to those who want them.65047

Feed The People! The last Sunday of every month attendees of the OO GA get together a little earlier than usual, at 2 PM (3 PM during DST) to share some food with each other and the community. There should be a table, utensils/plates, meat and veggie entrees and whatnot, courtesy of the Kitchen Committee (such at he is), so just bring yourself, or something to share as well if you’d like. The Occupy Oakland General Assembly meets every Sunday at 3 PM at the Oscar Grant Plaza amphitheater at … Continued

The Occupy Oakland General Assembly meets every Sunday at 3 PM at Oscar Grant Plaza amphitheater at 14th Street & Broadway near the steps of City Hall. If for some reason the amphitheater is being used otherwise and/or OGP itself is inaccessible, we will meet at Kaiser Park, right next to the statues, on 19th St. between San Pablo and Telegraph. If it is raining (as in RAINING, not just misting) at 3:00 PM we meet in the basement of the Omni Collective, 4799 Shattuck Ave., Oakland. (Note: we meet at 3:00 PM … Continued

JOINT WALK‐IN CLINICS with Public Defender and EBCLC *Please bring your statewide CA DOJ RAP sheet if you have it or we can give information at clinic* We may be able to help with:  Dismissal of Conviction – PC 1203.4  Felony Reduction / Prop 47 and 64 Relief  Early Termination of Probation  Certificate of Rehabilitation  Sealing Arrest Record – Factual Innocence  Juvenile Record Sealing  Post-Conviction Relief for Immigrants and Survivors of Human Trafficking  Employment denials due to criminal background reports  Occupational … Continued

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